Five Minute Guide to the BCS Championship Game

Breakdown

Momentum
Advantage: Push. The Florida Gators (12-1) come in to tonight's BCS Championship Game riding a nine game winning streak. The Oklahoma Sooners (12-1) have rolled off seven consecutive victories.


Offense
Advantage: Oklahoma. The Sooners set an NCAA record for points scored this year. They scored at least 35 points in every game and at least 45 points in every game but two. OU comes in averaging over 62 points per game over their last six games.


Defense
Advantage: Florida. The Gators have only give up more than three touchdowns once all year. It happened in the only game they lost (Ole Miss 31-30).


Strength of Schedule
Advantage: Oklahoma. Florida played a weak schedule. On Opening Day, Florida's schedule looked daunting. Looking back, every team the Gators defeated except Alabama had a down year. Oklahoma's loss was a respectable one (neutral site against Texas). The Sooners beat three of the nation's top 15 teams.


Special Teams
Advantage: Florida. Florida's Brandon James is a game-changing return man. Oklahoma's best kick returner, Demarco Murray, will not play.


Coaching / Karma
Advantage: Oklahoma. Urban Meyer preposterously used three timeouts in the last minute of a game against Georgia earlier this season, a game Florida won 49-10. Those things come back to haunt you. Also, Stoops is due to win another big game.


Injuries
Advantage: Florida. I'll take 90% of Percy Harvin over 0% of Demarco Murray.


Speed
Advantage: Push. These are arguably the two fastest teams in the nation.


Heisman Jinx

Advantage: Push. Both teams have Heisman-winning quarterbacks.


Other
-Tim Tebow has completed 88% of the passes he has thrown to tight end Aaron Hernandez.
-Juaquin Iglesias is the best player you've never heard of.


The Pick
Oklahoma 36, Florida 32. I'm tempted to take the Sooners in a semi-rout (two touchdowns or more), but I think the Gators make a late run. I love what OU does on offense, and I think they can match up well enough to contain Florida's spread. Either way, I'm taking the +4.5.